Roommates Diary I New Routines
by ficeler37
Summary: Sequel to Riding the Roller Coaster. Shiznat's adventure as new roommates.
1. Status Report

**Title**: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part I)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1277

**Summary**: Sequel of Riding the Roller Coasters. The rest of the night after Shiznat's date. Mai displays her nosy side.

**A/N**: That was a nice two week break. After the end of RtRC, I was scared to start something new that I can't finish. There were just too many directions I could take with the new series, so it was really difficult for me to start writing this new chapter. The way I envision this new series is just some light-hearted fluff that documents the quirks of Shiznat's everyday life. Enough with the small talk, enjoy!

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Asking Natsuki to take her back to their new home right away was a spur of the moment teasing remark, upon a more thoughtful consideration, Shizuru decides to stay at her apartment for the night and start moving her things over the next day. As she strolls towards the front door with keys in hand, a feet shuffling sound behind her reveals that the motorcycle owner is following her to her apartment. "Ara, is Natsuki so eager to share a bed with me?" _As much as the beast in me wants to devour Natsuki right at the spot, I can't let her get into the apartment tonight and ruin my chance to be with her legitimately. _

"Argh! What are you talking about? I was just … uhm … wondering about the new mayonnaise flavors you made me. You know the ones you were talking about at Tofu Palace?" For the sake of that light yellow creamy sauce, even if she is dying of embarrassment, Natsuki is determined not to go home empty-handed.

"Unless you are going to eat mayonnaise right before you go to bed. I'm going to say there is always tomorrow." _Not that I think that my love for Natsuki is going to lessen in any way if she packs a few extra pounds. Having mayonnaise that late at night is just not healthy. Awww, don't give me those puppy eyes. Shizuru, stay calm. Your heart is stone! _"I'm going to put a lock on my fridge to make sure that the bowls of mayonnaise don't run away, ok?" _Plus I can always take the mayonnaise as hostage in case Natsuki blows me off tomorrow._

With a light grip on Shizuru's wrist, Natsuki looks up at the older girl intently. "You promise you'll bring me the mayonnaise tomorrow?"

"Yes, now drive safely and go home. I'll see you tomorrow." With a quick peck on Natsuki's cheek, Shizuru runs into her apartment before the blue haired girl can react to the sneak attack. _From tomorrow on, let's be great roommates, Natsuki._

Half an hour later, as Natsuki steps into her pitch black apartment, she cannot help but think about the kind of excitement that is going to revolve around there soon. _Since when did solitude lose its appeal? You really have changed, Natsuki. But I do think it's for the better. _A blinking red light from her answering machine distracts her from visualizing her new life with Shizuru.

"You have one new message." (Beep) "Natsuki? You're still out? It's Mai. Call me when you get back. I want to know every little detail about your date with Kaichou! Oops, I meant your oh-so-innocent outing with her. Talk to you later! … Oh, if you don't call me back tonight, I'm going to assume that you spend the night at her place. I think Chie and Aoi will really like to hear about this. Is that a good enough incentive?" (Beep) "End of new messages."

_It's bad enough that Shizuru refused to give me her mayonnaise, now I have to give Mai a status report before I can go to bed? (Sigh) But I can't let Chie and Aoi spread rumors about me … _Soon Natsuki finds herself pressing on a speed dial button. "Hey …"

"Natsuki! Tell me everything! To be honest, a part of me was hoping that you wouldn't call tonight, haha."

"What was that supposed to mean? And how did you know it's me calling? Oh whatever. Let's just get this over with quickly so that I can sleep …"

Natsuki starts listing all the rides that she went on with Shizuru and all the places that they spent time at, hoping that Mai would be satisfied with the minimal details. To her surprise, Mai still manages to comment on the harshly censored version of her report.

"You two went on _the_ log ride? I bet that was pretty cozy, huh?"

"Why does your voice sound like that? What's so special about that ride?"

"Just thinking back to a couple days ago, you were insisting on the fact that it was not going to be a date. Natsuki, that ride was voted number one on a popular survey detailing what couples can do on a date."

_So that's why Shizuru suggested that ride! That sly woman, I'll get her next time. _"Well, it wasn't my idea to get on that ride. Now that you know what I did for the day, may I please go to bed?"

"Wait, last question." Mai takes a deep breath before she continues. "Did you guys kiss?"

"WHAT?" Suddenly Natsuki has a flashback of lunch at the pizza parlor. _Why am I thinking about this? It was not an intentional kiss. I was just trying to help out a friend. _"None of your business." (Pause) "It wasn't like we did it on purpose …"

"WHAT?" This time it is Mai's turn to be shocked. "I was not expecting a yes, but oh my god, spare me no details! Who started the kiss? Where did you have this kiss? Who broke the kiss? Was it a French kiss?"

Natsuki feels like she is being slaughtered by a machine gun as Mai bombards her with such intimate questions. "Stop! I'm not talking to you anymore. I need to wake up early to pick up Shizuru at her apartment tomorrow morning. So good night."

"You are meeting up with Kaichou again so soon? What's the hurry?" Curiosity is evident in Mai's voice.

_You and your big mouth, Natsuki! I guess Mai will find out sooner or later. _"I … kinda asked Shizuru to move in with me."

"Wow, I never thought you would be the one to make the first move. I'm impressed, Natsuki. You two are just moving at godspeed. You will pick me as your bridesmaid, right?"

"Argh! Hanging up now! Bye!" A heavily blushing Natsuki slams the receiver down. _Thanks to Mai, I'm going to be thinking about that kiss all night. Ahhhhh, I didn't mean kiss. I better go take a cold shower before changing into my pajamas._

On her way to the bathroom, Natsuki stops and looks into her study room, which will soon turn into Shizuru's bedroom. Even though she calls it her 'study' room, honestly, she hardly spends any time in there doing actual studying. The tall book shelf leaning on one side of the wall is mostly empty, except with a couple motorcycle monthly magazines and the few required school textbooks. The most prominent feature of the room is the large round carpet on the floor. Other than that, the rest of the room is just occupied with a pile of magazines at the corner.

A sharp buzzing noise from the living room leads Natsuki to pick up her cellphone. _Why am I Ms. Popular all of a sudden tonight? _"Hello?"

"Natsuki, it's me. I'm just calling to say good night. Do you realize that this is going to be the last time we say good night to each other over the phone?"

"What are you talking about? Are you not moving in with me anymore, Shizuru? Why won't we say good night to each other again?" _I knew it was too good to be true when Shizuru said yes to my request. But she promised …_

"No, silly. I just meant that we will be saying that to each other in person from now on since we are roommates. Natsuki is so adorable. Want to blow me a kiss good night?"

"You wish." Natsuki hangs up the cellphone and walks back to the bathroom, unaware of the blissful grin on her face.

TBC.


	2. The Irresistible Shizuru

**Title**: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part II)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1391

**Summary**: Annoying guy tries to hit on Shizuru. Shiznat arrive at the furniture store.

**A/N**: When I first started writing this chapter, I was not expecting the hit on part to be so long. I have a habit of dragging out scenes. Oops... Half the stuff I planned for Ch. 2 is now going to show up in Ch. 3, haha. I like it when my chapters have a healthy balance of Shiznat moments and random third person interactions.

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Early the next morning, Natsuki and Shizuru exchange a brief phone call as soon as they wake up and decide to hit the furniture store first. The reason being Shizuru's current pieces of furniture are not hers since they came with the apartment. On the other hand, moving things over to Natsuki's apartment will not be as labor intensive, thus eliminating the need of renting a truck. The girls estimate that they can probably finish the moving by the end of the day.

It is now ten in the morning, and Shizuru is standing in front of her apartment. Today the Kyoto-born girl is dressed in a long light brown skirt and a white plain sleeveless V-neck, which shows off just the right amount of her beautiful cleavage. _That was so silly of me. Standing in front of my wardrobe and wondering if Natsuki is going to notice what I'm wearing. She's not a pervert like you! (Sigh) _

Gazing longingly at the quiet intersection, Shizuru begins visualizing the sight of a dark blue motorcycle making a skillful left turn into the main street accompanied by roaring engine sounds. _I don't think I can ever get tired of seeing her ride that motorcycle. My Natsuki is so cool … If it wasn't for my amazing self control, I would have swooned like one of her fangirls every time I see her._

"Good morning, Fujino-san. Excellent weather today, don't you think?" A low raspy voice appears to Shizuru's right, interrupting her pleasurable daydreaming.

Shizuru's eyebrow twitches in annoyance for a split second before she turns to greet the mousy looking man she barely knows. "Ara, you are my landlord's son, Eto-san, right? Good morning to you, too." _Courteous mask designed for random strangers. Checked._

"If you're waiting for a taxi, I can give you a ride. I just bought a brand new sports car last week. I think I can hear the leather seats and turbo engine screaming for you." _God, that smile. I'm so going to score. Yea, I don't have the best looks, so what? Women dig nice cars. That's a universal rule. _Eto shakes his car keys in front of Shizuru as if that will make her more likely to take the bait.

"That's a nice offer, but no thank you. I'm waiting for a friend to pick me up. Your sports car sounds like a wonderful investment. However, to be honest, I'm more of a motorcycle girl myself." _Take the hint. NOT interested._

Sadly the egomaniac cannot read between the lines. "So where are you heading off to? Doing anything that a nice gentleman can tag along with?" _She's probably too shy to ask me to give her friend a ride too. Do not fear, for I am a bonafide gentleman._

_This will be a good time to break the news. _"Actually I'm moving out of here to live with my friend, so we are going to the furniture store this morning. Would you mind letting your father know that I will be returning the keys at the end of the month?" _I'm sure that deep down, there is a decent person in there. But that voice? I can feel the goosebumps on my arms._

_Change of plans. This gorgeous woman is moving away. I gotta cut to the chase. _"Hey, do you want to go out some time? By the way, did I mention that I just graduated from law school and am now working a very well paid job at the best law firm in Fuka?"

"Eto-san, first of all, I'm very flattered. With your qualifications, I'm sure there will be women lining up to date you. Unfortunately my heart belongs to another, and that's why I cannot go out with you. Oh, by the way, did I mention that I'm the rightful successor for the president seat of Fujino Corporation?" _Somehow I don't think money is going to be an issue in my life. You think you can use your wealth to get me to go out with you? Mister, you have no idea who you are dealing with._

Eto feels like the loud engine humming noise from the intersection merely serves to amplify the heart breaking noise only audible to him. Suddenly he realizes that the noise is emanating from a motorcycle coming straight at him. _What the fuck! Am I going to die here? _He crosses his arms in front of his face hurriedly, unable to face the gruesome death being projected into his mind.

In steep contrast, the chestnut haired girl barely flinches as she fixates her gaze at the fast approaching vehicle with a curious smirk. _Should I call her behavior childish? Who am I kidding? Shizuru, you love it when she makes a flashy entrance._

Natsuki slams on the brake at the very last minute and her bike screeches to a halt a few feet from Shizuru and Eto, leaving a black trail on the cement ground. Flipping up her eyeshield, she first smiles at Shizuru, then glares coldly at the stranger who looks like he is going to pee in his pants. "Who's this?" Right to the point.

The older girl walks graciously towards the back of the motorcycle and takes out her helmet from the compartment. "Natsuki and her form-fitting biker suit. How nostalgic." Shizuru doesn't need to look at the other girl to know that she is blushing underneath her helmet. "This is Eto-san, my landlord's son. Eto-san, this is the friend who I'm moving in with."

The man cursed with an unfortunate voice can only stare wide-eyed at the two girls surrounded by completely different auras. Words catch in his throat as he witnesses his dream date hopping onto the motorcycle as if it is the most natural thing in the world.

As soon as Shizuru settles into a comfortable position, she twists her head around to bid farewell. "As you can see, Eto-san, there's only room for two. Have a wonderful ..."

The end of Shizuru's sentence is drowned out by a deafening engine sound. Natsuki skillfully maneuvers her metallic best friend and dashes away, leaving a coughing Eto who is struggling to keep the flying dust out of his mouth.

"Shizuru, are you ever alone? Don't you find it annoying when strangers talk to you?" _That guy is not even attractive! Him and Shizuru standing side by side is like an eye sore. He doesn't deserve her._

"Ara, is Natsuki the one who is annoyed? I personally don't mind the attention." _Scratch that. I can tolerate timid flirtatious girls, but not men, period. But it's too much fun to tease my Natsuki, ho ho._

"Who's annoyed?!?! I just don't understand why people have to flock to you." _If only Shizuru can wear a sign that reads 'GET LOST' whenever she's waiting for me._

The arms wrapping around Natsuki's waist tremble slightly, and Shizuru whispers into the other girl's back. "Natsuki thinks that I'm not attractive enough for people to hit on?" _Goodness, I can't hold my laugh in any longer. My stomach muscle is going into a spasm!_

To Natsuki, the sensation around her torso area only seems to convince her that she has made Shizuru cry. "Are you kidding? You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen!" _SHIT! She wasn't supposed to know that. (Sigh) Too late. Well, I hope this is enough to lift her mood._

"Oh …" This is one of those rare occasions that Shizuru finds herself blushing heavily at Natsuki's words. "Thanks." _Does she really mean it? If this is a lie, I wish to never find out the truth. _Words cannot explain the warm tingly feeling inside of her. Shizuru simply smiles.

For the rest of the ride, Shizuru grabs onto Natsuki firmly, trying to savor every last second of their close contact. Finally they arrive at the local furniture department store – Fukea. At the entrance, the girls look at the map which details the exact location of each type of furniture.

"So what's the first thing you want to get for your new room?"

"The first and only actually. I think I can share everything else with you."

"Look! This flyer says that full size beds are on sale. This is great!"

"It doesn't really concern me. I'm going to buy a queen size bed today."

"QUEEN SIZE?"

TBC.


	3. Feeling The Queen

**Title**: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part III)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1387

**Summary**: Reasons behind the queen size bed. Natsuki Vs. Kenta (Who's this?).

**A/N**: I'm bringing in a semi-new character! Can anyone guess who it is before scanning down the new chapter? I know that Mai or Nao is usually a good choice for the counseling best friend role. But you just gotta love somebody with a big mouth and absolutely non-politically correct speech patterns, haha.

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On their way to the bed frame / mattress section to look at the queen size beds, Natsuki tries to reason with Shizuru. "My study room is not that big, if you put in a bed that size, you won't be able to fit a desk in there." _Now that Shizuru is a university student, she probably needs a lot of room to study. I don't want her to move in and have to sacrifice her study habits._

"It's okay. I don't need a desk normally. I'll just buy a laptop lap desk and use my computer in bed." _And if I absolutely need to use a desk one day, I can just sneak into Natsuki's room and use hers. Way to break into her room with a legitimate reason, Shizuru!_

"Why do you need such a big bed?" Natsuki stares at the other girl with a quizzical frown. _I've seen her bed in her apartment. It was about the same size as my full size bed. Hm … I guess she didn't really have a choice since she didn't buy the furniture._

Finally arriving at their destination, Shizuru walks over to the nearest queen size mattress and sits on its edge. "Just in case Natsuki wants to have a slumber party in my room." _I can't tell you that I expect you to move into my room one day, can I?_ With a teasing wink, she pulls on Natsuki's arm and causes the blushing girl to fall on the mattress with her face being the first impact point.

Pushing herself up immediately, Natsuki rubs her reddened nose tenderly. "Shizuru!" She glares at the giggling figure who is now lying on the mattress on her back with her arms raised above her head.

"Just kidding." _I'm not kidding. _"My real concern is … What if I fall off the bed one night while twisting and turning in my sleep?" Shizuru turns on her side and balances herself with an outstretched elbow, glancing at Natsuki with a raised eyebrow.

Feeling a bit uneasy under Shizuru's intense gaze, Natsuki crosses her arms in front of her chest and turns her head to the side. "I seem to recall that last time I slept over at your place, you remained in the dead center of the bed the next morning. I was the one who rolled off your sofa and woke up on the floor with a stiff back." _Damnit, why do I need to bring this up again just to prove her wrong? Bad memories …_

The older girl brings her hand to her chest and fakes a sarcastic look of disbelief. "I could have fallen off the bed in the middle of the night and climbed back up to my old spot before you spotted me. You wouldn't have known." The ordinarily elegant Kyoto woman flops down on her back in a childish manner. "Plus I like having the option of rolling around in bed if I want to." To emphasize her statement, Shizuru flips over and pins Natsuki down with her upper body suddenly. "Who knows who I might find trapped underneath me one night?"

_Her hair is tickling my face. I can smell the shampoo she used last night. _A flustered Natsuki looks up at the innocent-looking face only inches away from her own. _Wait, that is NOT what I should be thinking about right now. People are probably staring at us! _"Uhm … a burglar?" Her movement constrained by the body on top of hers, Natsuki tries her best to sink into the mattress.

"(Humpf) Natsuki is no fun." Shizuru releases her hold on the other girl with a cute pout on her face. _Patience, Shizuru. You don't want to push Natsuki too far in public. Wait till you are alone with her. _"Would Natsuki like to test out the other queen size mattresses around here? We can pick one out then go back to my apartment and grab my things."

It does not take long for the two girls to find the perfect mattress. Shizuru then proceeds to pick out an elegant looking bed frame made of redwood. As the older girl waits in line to finish her purchase with order forms in hand, Natsuki excuses herself to look at a magazine rack a couple aisles away.

Natsuki is surely surprised when she spots a motorcycle magazine hidden behind some home improvement journals. _Hey, I don't have this one! Lucky! _Suddenly an unexpected poke on her lower back makes her hand freeze in the air, onlyinches away from her target magazine.

"That's a nice tattoo you got there. Whoever put that tattoo on you is a genius!"

Natsuki swivels her body around angrily and is taken aback by the familiar face. "It's YOU!"

The young man in his late twenties with stylish short red hair replies with a smirk, "DUH! With that biker suit that you are wearing today, only someone with X-ray vision will know about your little 'I-LOVE-MY-GIRLFRIEND' tattoo on your back. Well, someone other than me of course." Just as Natsuki is about to open her mouth to retort, he beats her to the punch. "Yea, yea, yea, she's not your girlfriend. I remember that line."

"Argh! What the hell are you doing here?" _God! Talking to him is almost as exhausting as arguing with Shizuru! …Well, except I can always beat him up when I'm speechless._

"Geez, nice seeing you, too. Can't you react like a normal person and say stuff like … (in high pitch voice) What a surprise to run into you in Fukea. Don't you think we are meant to be friends?"

The blue haired girl glares at the smiling young man. "What kind of sane person would want to be friends with you?" _That voice change bit was kinda creepy …_

"Ouch, that hurts. To show you how sincere I am, I'll properly introduce myself first. The name is Eto Kenta. High school graduate. Tattoo artist extraordinaire." He takes a gentleman bow towards the seemingly not impressed Natsuki. "Why do I have the feeling that you might castrate me if I call you Natsuki-chan?"

"Because I will do it without blinking if I ever hear those four syllables coming out of your mouth again." _Ha, that should scare him off. Wait, what is up with that look? _Unable to ignore the mixture of hopefulness and sadness on Kenta's face, she grumbles following a sigh of defeat. "Kuga is fine." _On second thought, this guy is not that bad. Yes he talks too much, but he did help me punish that jerk in the amusement park._

Ecstatic about Natsuki's revelation of her last name, Kenta chuckles as the corners of his lips curl up to form a nice crescent. "Alright then, Kuga-san. Just curious. What are you doing here in Fukea on this beautiful Sunday morning?"

"Shopping for a queen size bed." Not used to doing small talks with people she barely knows, Natsuki is not sure whether she should ask Kenta the same question even though she does not really care about his reply.

"So I see that the girlfriend is moving in. Way to go, champ." Kenta punches Natsuki lightly on the shoulder.

_(Sigh) Why do I even bother clarifying the relationship between Shizuru and me in front of this guy? _"Even though we are roommates, we are not sharing the same bed! She's just buying a queen size bed for herself because she likes to have the option of rolling around in it." Reciting the reason Shizuru gave her just moments before, Natsuki is confident that they can just drop the topic at this point.

Kenta throws an arm around Natsuki's shoulder and whispers to an eyebrow twitching Natsuki. "Are you listening to yourself? What kind of lame excuse is that? You two are so gonna get it on."

"AHHHH! SHUT UP!" Natsuki slaps Kenta hard on the chest, which causes the victim of the assault to tear up. "Don't look at me with those teary eyes. You deserve it."

"That was uncalled …" Before he can finish his complaint, Kenta finds himself being pushed violently to the ground. "Don't be so rough, will ya? Despite my tough exterior, there is a gentle soul in there."

"Shuush! Shizuru is coming. Hide!"

TBC.


	4. Claiming the Kitchen

**Title**: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part IV)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1596

**Summary**: Ninja Kenta. Shiznat finishes moving in. Dinner for two.

**A/N**: This chapter is a little different from my usual chapters because I pressed the fast forward button a couple of times while writing. Hopefully that won't be too distracting. I just had ideas for little scenes in my head. I realized today that I write about Natsuki's inner thoughts more often that I write Shizuru's. Considering my own preference for the characters, definitely interesting indeed...

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With his body conveniently hidden behind a queen size bed floor sample, Kenta looks up at the now smiling Natsuki who is waving to someone a couple aisles away. "Dude, why am I hiding?" _On second thought, I've never been someone's dirty little secret. This is kinda cool._

Green eyes never leaving the Kyoto beauty for a second, Natsuki tries to minimize the movement of her mouth as she whispers to the crouching figure. "With Shizuru's photographic memory, she's going to recognize you from the amusement park. Like you saw earlier, I'm not exactly the most sociable person on the planet. What is she going to think when she sees us talking to each other?" _I'm probably over-reacting, but I just don't want to give Shizuru the wrong idea …_

Thinking back to the apparent killer intent behind the chestnut haired girl's smile at the park, Kenta can only shudder at the memory. "Okay, you have a point. Here." He scribbles his name and phone number on a trash receipt on the floor and shoves the paper into the back pocket of Natsuki's biker suit. "Listen, Kuga. You seem like a cool person. If you need relationship advice or just wanna chill and talk about your third base experience, give me a call."

"Fuck, did you just slap my butt?" _Argh, if only Shizuru wasn't coming this way, I would have kicked your ass so hard that you'd triple your pants size by the end of the day!_

"What can I say? You do have the nicest ass in town. (Wink) Peace out." Kenta does a ninja roll on the floor towards a stack of dressers and disappears from Natsuki's sight.

_THAT IDIOT! _No matter how great of a job Natsuki did to keep the smile on her face, she could not fight back the pink shade on her cheeks brought on by her anger. _At least he left before Shizuru got here. I hope she won't notice my …_

"Ara, is Natsuki blushing?" On the way over, Shizuru has noticed the frozen expression plastered on the blue haired girl's face. _Something must have happened while I was at the check stand._

One simple question is enough to send Natsuki's heart racing. _Deny everything! Act normal! _"Really? That's weird. I was just reading a magazine."

"Hm ... " _Natsuki is obviously hiding something from me. But do I want to pressure her into telling the truth?... That is not really my style. _"Were you reading something naughty?"

"Shizuru!" _As if they'd sell porno magazines at Fukea!_

After their bed purchase, the girls have decided that Shizuru would go back to her apartment to pack her bags while Natsuki would head back to hers to clean out her study room. The plan was for Shizuru to take a taxi to meet up with Natsuki later at their new home. The consensus was not immediate, but Shizuru ended the discussion citing the inefficiency of Natsuki's motorcycle in transporting her suitcases.

A couple minutes later as Natsuki drops off Shizuru, the older girl had to swear on her tea leaves that she would not forget to bring the mayonnaise over before Natsuki agrees to leave. While Shizuru walks towards her apartment, the younger girl vigilantly scans the area for suspicious mousy looking men with the scenes of this morning playing in her head. It is only after Natsuki loses sight of her best friend that she starts her engine with a sigh of relief.

Stepping into her apartment, Natsuki empties her pockets routinely next to the phone. Looking down at the crumbled receipt with barely legible handwriting, something catches her eyes all of a sudden. _Wait, his last name is Eto. Why does that name sound so familiar?_

Her train of thought is disrupted by the sudden ringing of the apparatus in front of her. _It can't be the tattoo guy calling me, right? Duh, I didn't give him my phone number. _"Hello?"

"Natsuki, it's me. Bad news. People from Fukea just called, and they said their delivery truck broke down and they won't be able to bring us the queen size bed till tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I should just stay in my apartment tonight …"

"No!" Natsuki quickly covers her mouth, surprised by her own outburst. _Why do I feel like she might just call off the whole moving in thing if she stays at her apartment for the night? Stop being so insecure, Natsuki! But still …_ "Why don't you sleep in my bed tonight and I'll crash on my couch? Let's just get the moving in over with today. Since we have school tomorrow, we'll probably be busy." _Nice save, Natsuki!_

Natsuki's suggestion inadvertently puts a smile of the Kyoto woman's face. "I feel bad making Natsuki sleep in the living room. Why don't you take the bed and I'll …"

"Ahhhh! Just come over already. We can discuss the sleeping arrangement later. I'll be seeing you tonight." Natsuki hangs up the phone before the other girl can reply._ As long as I can get her butt over here, even if I have to sleep on the floor tonight, I can care less. Knowing Shizuru, she'll leave her apartment for sure after how I hung up on her._

Just as Natsuki predicted, Shizuru shows up at her front door with suitcases and plastic bags in hand later that night. Natsuki hurriedly takes over the bags and settles everything down in the newly cleaned out study room. Exiting Shizuru's new room, she searches for the other girl and hears sounds of cabinets opening and closing from the kitchen.

Poking her head out of the kitchen, Shizuru calls out to Natsuki with a solemn look on her face. "I hereby declare this kitchen my domain. Natsuki, you cannot live on mayonnaise and cup noodles alone. And what's the matter with all the beer in the fridge? From now on, I'll be in charge of stocking up your fridge and your food cabinets, any questions?" _Hopefully Natsuki can kick off some of her horrendous eating habits with my supervision. I just want my Natsuki to be happy and healthy._

_(Sigh) I half expected her to react this way. I guess there's really no way around it. _"Okay …" Slumping her shoulders like a kid confessing her wrong-doings, Natsuki initiates her puppy eyes attack on the older girl. "Do I at least get to try the mayonnaise that you made me tonight?"

Stepping out of the kitchen with her own pink apron with bunnies in the front pouch, Shizuru replies with a smirk. "Only if you'd let me cook for you from now on." _People don't change over night. The best I can do is to change her menu gradually. Ho ho, I'll take that bright smile on your face as a yes, my dear Natsuki. Tonight is a night of celebration. Why not indulge Natsuki a little?_

_So …CUTE!!! _Unbeknownst to Shizuru, Natsuki's joyous expression is brought on by her fascination with Shizuru's new look. _Shizuru will make a great wife one day. Ahhhh, I can't imagine any guy claiming her as a wife. Stop thinking about this, Natsuki. Now Shizuru has a concerned look on her face. Look what you have done! Smile, damnit!_

Dinner was filled with amiable small talks and periodic laughter. For the entire meal, Natsuki was busy cleaning out the plates of seaweed flavored mayonnaise scrambled eggs, mango flavored mayonnaise popcorn shrimps, and wasabi flavored mayonnaise broccoli. Meanwhile Shizuru had prepared herself a nice bowl of rice soaked in green tea and was happy to keep her chopsticks away from the other three dishes she made.

Towards the end of the meal, Natsuki suddenly dumps some broccoli with light green creamy sauce into Shizuru's bowl. "I love your new creations. You have got to try it out!"

Observing the little chunks of creamy sauce floating defiantly on the surface of the green tea in her bowl, Shizuru feels like her stomach is doing somersaults against her will. "Uhm … I'm full. I think I'll go wash the dishes now." _Yes, I made the dish. But I just can't deal with mayonnaise in my tea right now. _

With the delicious mixture of mayonnaise stuffed in her mouth, Natsuki mumbles after a slight pause. "I'm almost done myself. Do you need help in the kitchen?"

"If Natsuki comes in to help me, I don't know if I can get out of the kitchen by the stroke of midnight." Reminiscing about the time when Natsuki almost burned down half of her own kitchen while trying to make a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, Shizuru is not so sure about her dish washing skills.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" _Is this because she heard about the small fire in my kitchen? Damn Mai and her big mouth!_

"It'll just be faster when I'm working alone. How about you go watch some TV and I'll come out later with some hot tea?"

A yielding nod and an apologetic smile later, Natsuki finds herself staring blankly at her flat screen TV, not caring about the fate of the characters in the show. _I didn't ask her to move in with me to be my maid. (Sigh) Maybe I can ask Mai to give me some cooking lessons. That way Shizuru won't be stuck with the household chores all the time._

"Ow!" The pained cry is followed by the noise of metals clashing against each other.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki rushes to the kitchen with her heart pounding loudly in her ears.

TBC.

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**A/N 2**: As you can see, I've decided to let Kenta live for now and avoided a direct confrontation between Kenta and Kaichou-sama. If by now you still do not see the significance in Kenta's last name, please go back to chapter two. This relationship will prove very interesting in the future, haha.


	5. Shizuru's Kitchen Accident

**Title**: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part V)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1349

**Summary**: Shizuru's little kitchen accident. Natsuki washes dishes and herself.

**A/N**: I've heard someone said that they couldn't write Shiznat stories after reading a Shiznat story with a similar topic. It's true. Took me a while to clear my head and come up with some original scenarios and lines. Blah, really feel like I should have updated earlier, oh well. Hope everyone enjoy the new chapter!

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"Shizuru, are you okay?" With Shizuru's back facing the kitchen door, Natsuki is unable to access the gravity of the situation. _Talk to me, please!_

"Natsuki …" The girl in the pink apron slowly turns around, her right hand cradling her left. A lone tear rolls down one side of her cheeks against her will as Shizuru attempts to pass off a casual smile. "Do you have any paper towels?" _Great job proving your competence in the kitchen, Shizuru. (Sigh) No more daydreaming about Natsuki in a bikini while handling sharp utensils!_

"Jesus, your fingers are bleeding. Hold on, the paper towels are right over …" Natsuki is greeted by the sight of a naked paper towel holder on the counter. _Shit, I meant to go to the supermarket to restock. _"Let me take a look at the cut. What happened?" Wrapping her hands around Shizuru's gently, she brings their hands up to take a closer look at the steadily gushing wound.

"The chopping knife slipped out of my hand when I was washing it in the sink. Oh no, the blood is rolling down my fingers! My favorite apron …" A surprised gasp. Followed by a healthy pink blush. Utterly speechless …

Perhaps it was the thought of saving Shizuru's favorite apron from getting tainted that drove Natsuki to do it. Perhaps not. Whatever went through Natsuki's head at the time no longer matters. As if all senses of her body are concentrated on the tip of the tongue, the only thought remains is the bitter taste of Shizuru's blood. Natsuki smiles.

A silly idea passes through Natsuki's mind. If she can take in as much bitterness as she can into her body, will it lessen Shizuru's pain? Natsuki subconsciously sucks harder on Shizuru's bleeding index and middle fingers. _Her fingers are so smooth … like well polished gem stones._

Shizuru closes her eyes, parting her lips slightly. Between the tingly feeling on her arms caused by the caress of blue tresses and the warm and moist feeling on her finger tips, the Kyoto beauty feels like she is floating in air. _Natsuki, if you keep sucking on my fingers like that, you're going to turn me into an addict for this mixture of pain and pleasure. Please don't make me lose control … _"Natsuki, that's enough. Thank you."

"Hmm …" Releasing the trembling members from her lips, Natsuki looks up with glazed eyes, feeling disorientated and short of breath. Meanwhile her hands are still sheltering Shizuru's wound, applying just the right amount of pressure to the back of Shizuru's hands.

_That look in your eyes …Be still, my heart. _"Would Natsuki mind getting me two band-aids? Natsuki?" _A zoned out Natsuki is so cute, ho ho._

"Huh? Oh yea, band-aids? Right away!" Letting go of Shizuru's hands abruptly, Natsuki runs over to the bathroom to get a hold of her first-aid kit. _Snap out of it! What's wrong with you? Were you going to stand around till Shizuru bleeds to death?_

Within ten seconds, Natsuki is back at the kitchen with band-aids in hand. "Hold still." While wrapping the band-aids around the older girl's slender fingers, Natsuki keeps peeking at Shizuru, trying to detect any signs of discomfort, of which she finds none fortunately. "Do your fingers still hurt?"

_It breaks my heart to see you looking so worried. _"They won't be as soon as you blow on them and chant 'Boo boo, go away!'" Shizuru holds out her hand with a teasing smile. _That's better. The flustered look suits you well, Natsuki._

"I'm not chanting." The frowning younger girl blows out a big puff of air on Shizuru's fingers and speed walks to the sink. "Let me finish washing the dishes for you. Now go out and watch some TV. I'll bring you some tea later." _I admit that I can't cook, but washing dishes? HA, a piece of cake._

"Alright, I'll be waiting." Shizuru smiles and gazes longingly at the back of Natsuki who is busy rolling up the sleeves of her slightly over-sized light blue men's shirt. _I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you. Natsuki …how much you've grown since I first met you at the flower garden. Now a part of me is scared that you won't need me to look out for you anymore. How silly of me …_

Half an hour later, Natsuki walks out of the kitchen and finds Shizuru dozing off at the sofa. After setting down two cups of hot green tea on the table, she sits down next to the resting figure and taps on her knee lightly. "Shizuru, wake up. If you're tired, why don't you go take a shower before going to bed?"

The chestnut haired girl stirs a little in her nap and opens her eyes slowly. "Natsuki? Wow, I can't believe I fell asleep." Blinking rapidly a couple of times, she lets out a series of giggles to the blue haired girl's surprise. "Ara, did Natsuki jump into the sink to scrub the dishes clean?"

"Wha …" Natsuki looks down at her body to where the other girl is pointing. _Hey, when did that big water stain get there? _"Argh! That's just the way I wash my dishes, okay?" _No wonder I thought the kitchen got colder all of a sudden._

"Perhaps you should wear my pink bunny apron next time." _Natsuki will look so adorable in pink!_

_Damn, I knew I forgot something. Wait, pink bunny? No freak'in way. _"Uhm, I'm going to take a shower now." She sprints towards the bathroom with a face matching the color of Shizuru's favorite apron. _The way Shizuru was looking at me is like I'm already dressed up in that god awful outfit. (Shudders) _

Soon the sound of running water can be heard coming out of the bathroom. Stripping out of her clothes, Natsuki steps into the shower and welcomes the comforting warmth of the hot water. (_Sigh) Nothing beats a soothing shower after a hard day's work. This time I remembered to lock the door so that nobody will be barging in. Yup, I've learned my lesson. _Natsuki can only shake her head as she thinks back to the time when Shizuru marched into the bathroom with only a small towel wrapped around her curvy figure. _And she was about to take the towel off to reveal her body in front of me like she was just taking off a winter coat. Thank god I pushed her out the door before that towel dropped down. What a shame …AHHHHHHHH! I meant, relief. RELIEF!!!!_

Natsuki presses on the shampoo pump madly, accumulating a big glop of shampoo in her palm. As if her slip of the tongue is somehow related to the grease in her hair, she massages her scalp roughly with the jasmine flavored milky white substance, trying to erase the existence of her naughty thought earlier.

An unexpected knock on the door makes Natsuki's heart skip a beat.

The melodious Kyoto ben bypasses the wooden barrier. "Natsuki, would you mind if I …"

"No!" _Just because you knocked and asked nicely this time, the answer is still no. I can't deal with taking a shower with you right now, Shizuru. This is all too complicated …_

"(Sniff) I just wanted to borrow some fresh towels from you since my towels had been in my suitcase all day. If Natsuki values her towels so much, then …"

"Ahhhh! I'm sorry. I thought you were asking to join me in the shower." _God, this is so embarrassing. Now I seem like the one with the dirty mind! _"You can grab any towels you see in my bedroom."

"Why would Natsuki think such a thing?" _Ho ho, actually that was going to be my next question. _"Don't use up all the hot water, okay? I'll be waiting in the living room."

Stepping out of the shower finally after a few minutes of peaceful silence, Natsuki extends her hand towards the wall out of habit. Next, a sharp intake of breath. _WHERE IS MY TOWEL?_

TBC.


	6. The Towel Fight

**Title**: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part VI)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: R  
**Word count**: 1239

**Summary**: A fight to the death. Who will have the towel?

**A/N**: Seems like some people have intepreted the last chapter in ways that I did not intend. Not that there is anything wrong, but please refrain from making overlty sexual comments in my reviews. I just don't want to cause discomfort for some of my readers. Thank you very much. Please keep in mind that the message is not meant to discourage reviews. That being said, please enjoy the new chapter!

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With a dark blue towel wrapped around her body, Shizuru adjusts her posture on the sofa while quietly sipping the lukewarm tea that Natsuki had prepared earlier. _Who would have thought my plan would work out so perfectly? Never underestimate the luck of a Kyoto woman, ho ho._

----Flashback begins----

Staring blankly at the flat screen TV, a pout appeared on the chestnut haired girl's face as she rapidly flipped through the channels. _I don't think I can ever get used to sitting around and doing nothing while Natsuki does the chores in the apartment. That's not how I imagined our new life would be like. Hmmm … what's this? Sunday night anime?_

On TV, a stunning figure with long dark blue hair and a yellow hair band was hugging a red uniform tightly in her arms while alone in a lavish looking living room. Shizuru set down her TV remote and watched the scenes unfold. _Hey, I know this anime! It's Kannazuki no Miko! Waiting hopelessly for your love to be returned, huh …Chikane-san, we were more alike than I'd like to admit. If I were you, I would have shot arrows up his sorry butt for taking Himeko out on a date. Wait, you did do that later in the series. Anyways, I know you got your happy ending in the end. So will you wish me luck on mine?_

A few more minutes into the show, something caught the corner of those crimson eyes. _Ara, we were focusing so much on my injured hand that I didn't notice the dried blood on my other hand. _As Shizuru washed her hands in the bathroom, she stared at her reflection in the mirror, contemplating the recent changes in her life. _What a difference a week makes …Mirror, mirror, on the wall,_ _who's the fairest of them all? (Smirk) Natsuki, of course. I do envy your front row seat for the daily Natsuki Shower Show, magic mirror._

Shaking her head at her silliness, Shizuru turned around and spotted a dark blue towel on the rack against the wall. _Natsuki's towel … _Suddenly remembering the anime scene on TV, she grabbed the towel and felt its softness against her face, copying Chikane's earlier movement. _Is this what she smells like when she's fresh out of the shower? _Shizuru blushed. _I wonder if she'll notice her missing towel when she walks into the bathroom. Fifty-fifty chance, I'd say. Oh, the things that I can do to get a reaction out of her afterwards …_

----Flashback ends----

_I don't hear the water running anymore. Ho ho, she should be in panic mode by now. Time for me to lend a helping hand. _(Knock knock) "Natsuki, you've been in there for a while, are you alright?" With one hand covering her mouth, Shizuru is using all the strength in her body to swallow her chuckles.

"Hold on, Shizuru." _Gotta find something to cover myself up. _Natsuki snatches the oversized men's shirt that she took off earlier. _Weird, I thought I left my towel on the rack last night. I'll just have to ask Shizuru to go get it. It must be in my room somewhere. (Sigh) Why do I have a bad feeling about this? Stop being so paranoid, Natsuki. _"Shizuru, can you do me a favor and get me the dark blue towel in my room?"

"I have it. Open the door." _I wonder if I'll get to see a naked Natsuki, hehe._

_Wait, how could she find it so quickly? Something smells fishy here … (Achoo) Damn, I'm gonna get a cold if I stand around like this. The towel is what matters now. _"Come in only after I give you a signal, okay?" Natsuki unlocks the door, steps back and faces away from the door. "Go ahead."

The grinning girl enters the bathroom and is immediately blown away by the sight in front of her. _Wow …_

Similar to Shizuru's situation after the log ride in the amusement park, Natsuki's wet and tight-fitted men's shirt leaves no room for the imagination, barely covering up her shapely behind. Unaware of the effect she has on the older girl, Natsuki stands still in confusion at the silence following the creak which indicates Shizuru's entrance. "Shizuru?" Twisting only her head around, she is startled by the other girl's outfit. "Why are you wearing my towel?"

Natsuki's growl brings Shizuru back to reality from her dreamy daze. "Huh? Oh, the towel? You told me to get any towel in your bedroom earlier when I asked to borrow one. So I just grabbed the first towel I saw and changed into the appropriate attire while waiting to take a shower. I didn't mean to make Natsuki mad …" Covering her face with both hands, Shizuru's shoulders tremble as she starts sniffling.

_This is an act. This is an act. This is … She is untying the towel! _Natsuki quickly snaps her head around. "What are you doing?"

Shizuru's voice cracks a little. "This is what Natsuki wants, isn't it?" _This is too much fun! She is totally freaking out! My Natsuki is so shy. _She wraps the dark blue towel around the stiff figure. "Hurry up and dry yourself. I don't want you to get a cold."

_If the towel is on me, that means Shizuru is … AHHH! How come she has no problem losing her shirt around me? What is this woman made of? _"You really didn't have to do that. I was just about to ask you to bring me another towel. But since I got this towel wet already, why don't you hurry and get another towel from my room? You can take a shower as soon as I'm done drying myself in here. Do you mind closing the door behind you also?"

"Sure. Your wish is my command." The wooden door closes with a small click.

_Finally, a moment of peace. _Natsuki places the towel down on the side of the bathtub and starts unbuttoning the shirt that is clinging onto her body uncomfortably.

"Ara, a strip show just for me. How lucky!" Shizuru brings up her hand to her cheek in her trademark pose.

"SHIZURU! I thought I told you to get out!" Natsuki reaches for the towel straight away and hugs it to her chest, as if the soft material could slow down her galloping heart rate.

"I seem to recall that you told me to close the door, and that's what I did." The Kyoto woman flashes a cheeky smile to the back of her crush. "Ne, Natsuki, why are you using your back to talk to me? Not that I'm complaining, because personally, I can stare at Natsuki's soaking wet back side all day."

Her frustration overcoming her senses, Natsuki spins her body around. "I had my back turned because you are … NOT NAKED?!?!"

"Ara, who said I am?" Shizuru crosses her arms in front of her white tube top and wriggles her hips clad in cotton shorts a little. "By the way, I see you." _The front view is even sexier, ho ho._

_See me? … ARGH! _"BAKA!" Natsuki shoves Shizuru out the bathroom and slams the door shut on the older girl. _Is this what I have to go through every night from now on? (Sigh) To think that locking the door was enough, I'm still too naïve …_

TBC.


	7. Bedtime Activities

**Title**: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part VII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1277

**Summary**: Who gets the sofa? Who gets the bed? Shiznat's bedtime activities.

**A/N**: Wow, what a super slow update. Being sick really knocked the writing spirit out of me. Plus there was the pressure of coming up with something that won't pale too much when compared to the last chapter. BLAH! Another thing, thank you to all the people who pointed out my typos. Really appreciate the help. Alright, I'll shup up now. Enjoy!

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(Knock knock) "Natsuki, would you like some hot tea?"

The bathroom door swings open abruptly and a towel clad Natsuki emerges. She sidesteps her way past Shizuru and quickly charges towards her bedroom. Before Shizuru can catch up, the door to the bedroom is slammed shut.

_Ara, did I go too far? ... Considering what I got to witness, it's worth it. _Shizuru shrugs her shoulders. _She can't stay mad forever._

(Knock knock) "Natsuki?"

"Go away." _That woman is always taking me for a fool. She totally did it on purpose. Who would wear a tube top right before they go take a shower?_

_What can I say to lure her out? Hm ... _"If I go take a shower now, will Natsuki deliver a towel to the bathroom to dry me off afterwards?"

"No!" _Damn, I took her towel. Wait, MY towel. I shouldn't feel bad about this. _The fuming girl reaches into her closet and grabs a light purple towel. Opening the bedroom door for a few inches, she holds the item in question out through the small gap. "Here."

Taking a hold of the offered article, the older girl is just about to open her mouth to say something when the bedroom door closes again. _Okay, I get the message. (Sigh) Guess I'll try later. _With a defeated pout and the purple towel in hand, Shizuru enters the still warm and misty abode of the magic mirror.

By the time Shizuru gets out of the shower in her white bathrobe, Natsuki is already out of the bedroom. However the leap of joy in Shizuru's heart is quickly sedated when she realizes that the other girl is asleep on the sofa in her sky blue cotton pajamas with a blanket over her body. _Smart move. Natsuki is more cunning than I expected. Claiming the sofa in my absence in order to avoid a head-to-head verbal quarrel with me over who is sleeping where tonight. _

Shizuru lets out a disappointed sigh and walks into Natsuki's bedroom. _At least I get to fall asleep while breathing in Natsuki's essence that lingers in her bedsheets. Hey, is that a body pillow? She is so adorable! _Settling down in bed, the chestnut haired girl places the pillow the length of a person next to her so that she is sandwiched by the big cushion and the wall. _I wonder if this is what Natsuki does with the pillow to keep herself from rolling off the bed, ho ho. Good night, Natsuki. Too bad you won't be the first thing I see when I open my eyes tomorrow. (Sigh) Be patient, Shizuru. Your time will come. _With that last hopeful thought, Shizuru closes her eyes.

Hours past midnight, the Kyoto woman is suddenly awoken by a series of noises in the living room. First there were the feet shuffling and the creaking door, then the sound of running water, which is followed immediately by an earsplitting toilet flush. _This is one of those few occasions when I'm thankful for being a light sleeper. Okay, I need to stop thinking about this or else I'm going to turn into a pervert. Shizuru, breathe. Think unsexy thoughts. Frogs, frogs, frogs … _

To her surprise, Shizuru hears the sound of the bedroom door opening. Staring fruitlessly into the absolute darkness, she can only deduce that someone is moving around the room judging from the rhythmic footsteps. _The dark curtains are blocking all the moonlight. Now I can't even tell what Natsuki is doing. Did she forget something in the room? Wait, I think she is getting closer. _Lying on her back, the older girl can feel that the body pillow had been tossed to the floor. A few seconds later, Shizuru's mind shuts down as the realization of Natsuki getting into the bed hits her.

In her half-awake state, Natsuki apparently forgot all about her new roommate and trailed back to her bed with wavering steps after going to the bathroom. Flopping herself down on the edge of the bed as usual, her first impulse is to grab onto the body pillow that is usually situated between her body and the wall. The smoothness and warmth of tonight's 'body pillow' fail to alarm the blue haired beauty as she is spellbound by her dreamscape. Acting purely on her instinct at this point, Natsuki drapes an arm across Shizuru's shoulder and swings a leg over the older girl's lower body. Within seconds, she has settled her face at the hollow of Shizuru's neck. A moan of satisfaction escapes her sealed lips before the steady breathing leads her deeper into unconsciousness.

Shizuru was holding her breath and keeping her body still throughout Natsuki's innocent yet titillating maneuvering. _Wow, THIS is unexpected. Is it my birthday today? _Feeling the humanoid koala bear tightening her hold gradually, the physically stiff girl begins to worry about her ability to breathe properly. _Shizuru, you know what they say. No pain, no gain …_A sudden vibration on her neck seizes her attention. _Ara, is Natsuki talking in her sleep? Kawaii! _Shizuru lowers her head a little in order to decipher the mysterious language of Natsuki's dream world.

"… I love you …"

_WHAT??? _A cupid's arrow pierces Shizuru's heart. _Am I dreaming? Natsuki, do you really feel that way about me?_

"… good. You taste so good …I want more …"

Shizuru blushes madly. _Is there a big bad wolf underneath the innocent façade? What is Natsuki doing to me in her dream?_

Third time is the charm.

"… I can't live without you. I love you, mayonnaise …"

Shizuru's heart instantly sinks to the bottom of the icy cold ocean. _Must fight the urge to tickle her to death for putting me through this emotional rollercoaster. Don't want to wake her up just yet. _Crimson eyes fixate on the fast asleep figure who has a childlike smile plastered on her face. _How can I have the heart to disturb my sleeping beauty? Hmm …I wonder if I can give her a hickie without waking her up. Hehe, I'd love to see the look on her face when she spots it tomorrow morning. _The sensation on her neck once again alerts the scheming girl. _What is she saying now?_

"… Stop it. It tickles. You're such a meanie, Shizuru …"

_Judging from the blush and the grin on the sleepy head's face, she definitely likes whatever the other me is doing to her. (Sigh) Fine, you're forgiven. Sweet dreams, my princess. _Shizuru lifts up her head and kisses Natsuki on the earlobe. _Now I need to catch up on some sleep to prepare myself for the exciting morning to come, ho ho._

The next morning …

At exactly 7 am, the radio alarm clock dutifully sets off a deafening melody of Linkin Park's 'Runaway', successfully covering up the happy chirpings from outside the window.

Out of habit, with her emerald eyes remain tightly shut, Natsuki tries to locate the offending apparatus that can be usually found underneath her body pillow. However, it soon dawns on her that the pillow has become too heavy for her to lift up with one hand over night. _What the …Wait a minute, is it just me or is the pillow bouncier than usual? _Refusing to open her eyes to face the sunlight, Natsuki begins thumping lightly on the soft surface with her right hand to test her theory._ Weird, I can feel the alarm clock tickling inside the pillow._

"Ow … I gotta say, waking up to Natsuki pounding on my chest is certainly a one of a kind experience, ho ho."

"AHHHHHHHH!"

TBC.


	8. The Pseudo Newlyweds

**Title**: Roommates Diary I - New Routines (Part VIII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1384

**Summary**: Good luck explaining yourself, Natsuki.

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As soon as Natsuki bolted up in bed and started screaming, Shizuru had covered up her ears on reflex while trying her hardest to conceal her amusement. _Ara, Natsuki is so full of energy in the morning. If she was an anime character, her hair would have been standing straight up by now, hehe. _Lifting herself up partially by balancing on her elbows, Shizuru cocks her head a little with a lazy smile. "Good morning, Natsuki. Did you sleep well last night?"

"You … I … Why are we in my bed together?" Despite the chaos in her mind, Natsuki finally managed to string out a coherent question with great difficulty. _Wipe that smile off your face, Shizuru. The way you are looking at me right now is not helping. _Somehow the furrowed brows only seem to have a contradictory effect on the ever widening smile on the older girl's face.

"That's funny. I could have asked you the same question. More importantly, Natsuki, will you take responsibility for what happened last night?" Fully sitting up at this point, Shizuru stares on with watery eyes, daring the other girl to coldheartedly say no. _Oops, forgot to loosen my bathrobe a little to show some skin. That would have gone well with my unfortunate ravished girl look, hehe._

Natsuki buries her hands in her blue disheveled tresses and shakes her head from left to right. "What the hell happened? I just remember falling asleep on the sofa and going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I don't know how I got here." _Shit, don't tell me I sleepwalked to my bed after going to the bathroom. I hope I didn't do anything inappropriate to Shizuru …_

"Listen to me very carefully." The Kyoto woman takes a deep breath.

The air between the two girls becomes stagnant. Natsuki gazes intently at the solemn crimson eyes.

"I'm pregnant."

"EH?!?!"

A few seconds later, fits of giggles from the older girl hammers the absurdity of the statement into Natsuki's head. "Stop messing with me!" The heavily blushing girl picks up the body pillow from the floor and smacks Shizuru on the chest with it repeatedly. _There she goes again! I can't believe I was taking her seriously for a moment there. I'm such an idiot._

Shizuru brings up her hands to soften the blows. "Iya, stop it. Why does Natsuki keep attacking my breasts this morning? If I become flat-chested one day, you'll be in charge of massaging them back to their original state." Exhibiting a childish side of her that is never seen at school, Shizuru puffs up her cheeks and sticks out her lower lip in defiance.

_So cute … NO! What am I thinking? _"BAKA!" Natsuki drops the pillow down and crosses her arms instead with her head turned away from the other girl. _Like I'm going to broaden the gap between our breasts sizes. Wait, AHHHH, that's not the point. I'm not going to massage her breasts! Period!_

"Oh my, you should have seen the look on your face when you thought I was expecting a baby." Leaving no traces of her earlier pout, Shizuru is now busy wiping the tears off the corner of her eyes. "But still, would you like to see our secret love child?" (_Evil smirk) Those sleepless nights of missing Natsuki when I ended up watching CSI have finally paid off. _

"I'm not falling for it again." Natsuki pouts. "Nothing probably happened last night anyways." _What's the worst damage I could have done in my sleep? Kicked her a few times and gave her some bruises? _In a nonchalant manner, green eyes try to sneak a quick peek at the exposed skin not covered up by the white bathrobe. _Absolutely flawless. Wow, her skin looks so smooth. I bet she puts lotion on after taking a shower everyday. Ah! Don't go there. _Natsuki tries to mentally blink away the naughty image haunting her thoughts.

_What's going on in that busy head now? Her face changes colors like those kiddy mood rings. Kawaii! _"Well, then how do you explain this?" After rolling up the sleeve of her white bathrobe, Shizuru nods towards the red mark on her upper left arm. _Lesson number one – Plant your evidence when no one is watching._

Natsuki bends down to examine the mark skeptically. _Is that a bug bite? Wait, it looks more like a bruise. Shit, it can't be … Stay calm, Natsuki. Act dumb! _"Why are you showing me your pimple? Are you asking me to pop it?" Conjuring the hidden drama talent within her, Natsuki scoffs as if the older girl just made the dumbest request on the planet.

_You can't throw me off that easily. Lesson number two - When the other person is in doubt, brainwash them with information in your favor. _Leaning her cheek against her hand, Shizuru closes her eyes with a Cheshire grin to pretend savoring their stolen moments in bed just hours ago. "Don't tell me you forgot how you imprinted your signature on my arm with your lips. Natsuki was so passionate last night. Daisuki!" _Just because I gave up the idea of giving you a hickie in your sleep, doesn't mean I can't give myself one and frame you for the act. Can't help it. This is too much fun!_

"AHHH! I don't remember a thing about last night. Can we just pretend that nothing happened?" Natsuki clasps her hands together and takes an apologetic bow.

"You mean, all the sweet nothings that you murmured in your sleep were a bunch of lies? How could you?" A timely tear drop slides down porcelain skin.

"Uhm, what did I say?" _Oh god, do I really want to know? _With a pained look, the blue haired girl holds out her index finger to catch the falling droplet.

Putting on her most seductive voice, Shizuru leans forward to whisper in Natsuki's ears. "You were telling me how I taste good and that you wanted more of me." _Not a complete lie. At one point, I did believe those words._

"WHAT? (Cough) Hey! You know what I think tastes good? BENTO!" Jumping off the bed like it suddenly transformed into a hot plate, Natsuki turns her back on Shizuru in a swift movement, desperately trying to hide the heat on her face. "Since you claimed the kitchen last night, why don't you go prepare some lunch bentos for us? Hurry up! I don't want to be late for school!" She rushes to the bathroom like a blue lightning bolt.

_Natsuki is scared of being late to school? Oh my goodness, it's the end of the world! _With a small smile, the Kyoto beauty can only shake her head as she gets up from the bed. _(Sigh) So many ways to tease her, so little time. _

Moments later, both girls are neatly dressed for school with backpacks in hands. As Natsuki heads towards the foyer, she is surprised by the pause in the footsteps trailing behind her.

"Shizuru?"

"Say 'I'm leaving now' and pretend that you are going to walk out that door."

"Huh?"

"C'mon, humor me. Please?" Puppy eyes attack!

"Fine." The younger girl rolls her eyes and complies. "I'm leaving now." Two steps forward.

"Walk safely." Shizuru hops ahead and wraps her arms around the shorter girl's shoulders from behind. Without warning, she kisses her on the cheek.

"What was that for?" A timid hand covers the spot that seems to emanate warmth uncontrollably.

"I've always wanted to play the newlyweds game." The sparkles in the crimson eyes perform a jovial dance.

Natsuki mumbles as she stares into the horizon outside the door. "And I'm sure you'll make the most beautiful bride…"

"Did you say something?"

"No, nothing." After locking the door, Natsuki turns to the taller girl with a lopsided grin. "Are you ready?"

_For you? Always. _"Yes."

"Let's go then." Natsuki swings her backpack over her shoulder and extends her open palm behind her back. Seconds later, a warm hand slides in seamlessly, taking the invitation.

As the two girls walk away together from their home for the first time, no words are exchanged. In truth, their comfortable silence is sufficiently filled with the smiles that they only reserve for one another.

THE END.

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**A/N**: It might come as a surprise for most readers how the series just ended suddenly. Honestly this was a surprise for me too. I don't know. It just seems like the right time. From today on, I am officially taking a break from writing. Those who have been thinking about starting their own Shiznat fanfic, well, what can I say, NOW IS THE TIME! Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone who has been following my Shiznat saga and giving me reviews. You guys are great! Till next time. (Wink)


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